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UJCL Parashah Commentaries
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EIKEV 5768 Devarim – Deuteronomy 7: 12-11:25 August 23, 2008 – 22 Av, 5768 By Rabbi Daniela Szuster,
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Tzedakah: Right of All Human Beings to live with Respect and DignityAt some point in this week’s parashah, God’s qualities are described, among them: Oseh mishpat yatom be almanah, “He doth execute justice for the fatherless and widow” (Deut. 10:18). I would like to highlight two aspects in this phrase. The verse refers to God and not to what human beings should do, as appears elsewhere in the Torah. This is a pedagogical methodology of the Torah. It speaks about God in order to teach us how we should conduct ourselves on earth, making God our role model. As Our Creator does justice; we should also put it into practice. We are taught through the example, by way of actions and not with empty words or speeches. There is a very pretty source in the Talmud which teaches us that several of the qualities that appear in the Torah referring to God, constitute actions we should do our best to imitate:
We could say the same in relation to the verse in this parashah. God does justice with the orphan and the widow, so you too must do justice.
The second aspect I would like to cover is that, in the verse, it does not say that God helps the orphan and widow but rather that He does justice. Hence, and from many other verses in the Torah, we can appreciate the high and important concept of Tzedakah. This concept differs greatly from that of other cultures. Certain societies speak about charity, giving alms, tithes, etc., to the poor. What is being said is that the world is divided into those who can give and those who need to be given to. Those with purchasing power should take pity on those who lack it. It is a question of being goodhearted and doing acts of kindness. In Judaism, the idea regarding this subject is different. It is not a question of good deeds but rather an ethical obligation. In fact, Tzedakah is a Mitzvah, a precept that all of us must fulfill, not just the powerful. It says in the Shulchan Aruch:
It is interesting that the root of the word Tzedakah is the same root of the word Tzedek, which means “justice”. This means that doing Tzedakah is a way of doing justice in the world. The idea of this term is that God created the world, created human beings to live upon it, and gave them the task of distributing wealth equitably. We are all naturally supposed to live well, enjoying respect and dignity. World justice and a fair share of goods for each person are in the hands of human beings. That is why Tzedakah is not charity; it is not giving but rather doing justice.
Unfortunately, throughout the history of mankind, world riches have never been distributed equitably. Today, more than ever, the differences between the rich and poor are abysmal. Above all, the trend in South and Central American countries, our region, is that fewer people possess large riches, and that the majority of the population is prone to live beneath the poverty line.
To Western society, human rights are a modern phenomenon; to our tradition, on the other hand, it dates back several centuries. We could define Tzedakah as the restitution of the people’s right to live with respect and dignity. To that end, we should rise and do justice.
Many of us are aware of this reality, but we do not know what we can do to change this situation. As Jews, we have the chance to make big changes from our own small communities. Together, we can set things right in our own societies. It is written in the Talmud:
It is our duty, as Jews and as communities, to follow the steps of our Creator and do something good to better the world and, above all, to make equity and justice prevail among all human beings on the planet.
Shabbat Shalom! Rabbi Daniela Szuster |
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This Parashah commentary was done by the Union of Jewish Congregations of Latin America and the Caribbean, and may be reproduced quoting its source.
Forwarded by Rabbi Gustavo Kraselnik, from Kol Shearith Israel Congregation, Panama. |
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